Great Construction

Treatment Through Medical Science and Treatment Through Faith

     Those involved with the medical profession naturally, but neither is there any exception to the fact that members of the intellectual classes regard healing through faith in the following way. That is, they say that since disease is, following the meanings of the ideograms used to write “disease” in Japanese, “disease plus spirit,” the function of the mental and emotional aspects is very strong, so when a cure for a disease through religion is attempted, the ministers of that religion exaggerate the benefits of the divine beings, and choose their words carefully to instill the conviction that the afflicted will certainly be cured. And since the patients have tried both medical and all other forms of treatment and have not been cured, and are at their wits end, they believe these admonitions, and to that extent they feel better mentally, even though of course they know their improvement is not due to the benefits of the gods or buddhas. Thus, it is depressing that no matter how wonderful the miracle from World Messianity’s healing treatment, the interpretation described above is applied. At these times we are too shocked to be indignant. But, in retrospect, this attitude is probably not unreasonable, and that is because most faith healing treatments have been that way.
     The curing of diseases in World Messianity, however, differs fundamentally from other forms of faith healing. To describe the reason in detail, those who come to World Messianity to inquire about treatment of course doubt from the very beginning. They have seen and heard about Johrei in the newspapers and magazines, and it is fair to say that most adults in society, particularly intellectuals, believe disease to be healed by pharmaceuticals. Medical science which has shown such marvelous progress until now is held with complete conviction. No other way to heal disease is thought possible. Furthermore, all are set at ease by the recent discoveries of new medicines in the United States and utilization of advanced instruments and surgical procedures. In such a milieu, it has come to be common wisdom that that such as healing by new religions is certainly not to be considered seriously. You may put much trust in such superstitions, but in the end something outrageous may happen. Faith healing is nothing but superstition. Various people express these feelings and all agree. If the occasion arises that I should undergo faith healing, I will run away. But those who become sick with their conditions worsening, to the extent of having been forced to face death, who throw in the towel on medical science, and come to depend on World Messianity, these are the extremely lucky ones. The majority, indeed to be pitied, continue to be enamored of medical treatment until they proceed on to the other world.
     The lucky ones, when they do not recover, when they have used up all their money, when the suffering of their pain only increases in anguish and torment, happen to hear about World Messianity. Most of those who come to us, think that in this age of highly developed science, our therapy is strange, just too crazy, but they are in such desperate circumstances, and with resignation to being deceived, they try receiving Johrei once. It would be fair to say that there is hardly any who come to us believing they will be helped. In which case, there is no room at all for any psychosomatic effect. And when they do come, they are dumbfounded to encounter a personage who appears to be some sort of teacher, excessively unimpressive, with no knowledge of medical matters who without using medicines or instruments of any kind, who does not any touch any part of the body, and who only waves a hand in the air. They cannot believe that a condition which could not be cured in a general hospital or by a medical doctor can be healed in such an altruistic manner. Well, since I’m here, it won’t do to just leave, so I might as well try it just once. And upon receiving treatment, things get stranger. Patients find that they feel better than they have felt since coming down with their condition, and as their pain and suffering are also eased, the whole situation becomes increasingly incomprehensible. But whether they understand or not, it is sufficient that they feel better, and even the most hardened atheists will completely change their attitude and bow their heads. Such is the course that is followed by almost everyone who comes to us.
     When studying the various circumstances under which people come, it will probably be thought that somewhere in World Messianity’s treatment techniques, there is some kind of psychological element. But what about medical science? If you are to discuss the psychological elements, those of medical science are incomparable. From administrative authorities to school education and so forth, all stress the vigorous progress of medical science, that there is nothing superior to medical science, that when you come down with a condition, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible before it is too late. The public is strongly cautioned to follow the directions of medical science, that this is the correct way to heal disease, and to not be misled by any other kinds of treatments. Moreover, today’s common sense dictates that whether in large hospitals, by well-regarded doctors, in fully-equipped facilities, with precision instruments, with new medicines, or whatever, it is only natural that people can entrust themselves to medical science as any condition or disease can be cured. Not only do all believe, there is no one who doubts medical science.
     The above shows how trust in medical science is one hundred percent as opposed to the zero or even minus percentage of trust with which we are regarded. In spite of which fact, those with conditions that were not cured at all are healed right away when they come to us, so it can be said that the difference in healing power differs completely. Impartially speaking, we can affirm that contemporary medical science itself is the superstition and that our healing method is truth. There will probably be no one who will not be amazed to read that the difference could be described as the difference between believing in medical science and losing life versus not believing in medical science and being helped. This phenomenon can be understood when observed historically as well. It often happens that as the times change, yesterday’s truth becomes today’s contradiction, so the phenomenon cannot be said to be peculiar. That such an obvious principle was not understood until today is because human beings were possessed by the past, by the spirits of the dead, and this fact was not perceived or discovered by anyone. Then again, there is the type of person that can often be seen in society who says that if diseases were able to be healed because of such a reason, we should not need doctors or medicines. Indeed, in that way, if doctors and medicines were to disappear, the only answer is that sick people would disappear from the world.
     Contemporary medical science is the world’s greatest superstition. If disease is to be eliminated from humanity, overturning and demolishing this superstition is the priority.  

 Eikō, Issue 186, page A1, December 10, 1952
translated by cynndd

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“Igaku Ryōhō to Shinkō Ryōhō,” placed at the top of the page, was one of three essays that Meishu-sama ran on the front page of Eikō, Issue 186 on December 12, 1952. Although no translations are known to exist, this essay was reprinted in the anthology Igaku Kankei Goronbun Shū (Collected Essays on Medical Science) that did enjoy a limited circulation. Igaku Kankei Goronbun Shū contains no publication data, but internal evidence suggests that its editing stopped several months preceding Meishu-sama’s death. Furthermore, since the book lacks publication data, whether the volume had Meishu-sama’s imprimatur or not is unknown, so details concerning this volume are probably impossible to research.